In laser-phosphor projection systems, the light from a pump laser is directed towards a phosphor material. The phosphor is typically bonded to a substrate and mounted on a spinning wheel to distribute the thermal load over a wider surface area. In single chip DMD applications, the pump laser is pulsed synchronously to the bit planes. The light output from the spinning phosphor wheel will vary in intensity around the circumference of the wheel, causing non-linearity in the output response of a projector's light engine. Current methods to linearize the response require that the variations be consistent with each rotation of the wheel and that the speed of the wheel can be adequately controlled. Thermal variations in the phosphor on the wheel and jitter in the speed control may invalidate these requirements.